Chinese Leak Reveals Significant Changes
Back in February, Tesla began promising new Model Y variants, and since then, the Model Y L has been revealed as a bigger six-seater for China. There have also been rumors of a more luxurious long-wheelbase variant with captain’s chairs after a white-hat hacker found evidence of such a thing in Model Y firmware. As for the long-awaited cheaper Model Y, that was delayed in April, and thanks to a video from China, it seems that the automaker has been working quietly in the background. Don’t worry if you don’t speak Mandarin – Not A Tesla App reports what to expect.
Several Changes Inside And Out
At the front of the car, the front fascia and headlight assembly have been revised, with the lightbar apparently disappearing and the headlight on either side thereof moving upward, much like the pre-Juniper Model Y. The remarkably strong glass roof that has appeared on every Tesla to date is gone, and at the back, the reflectors in the tailgate are just that – no fancy five-foot lightbar like the current Model Y. Still, a front-facing camera indicates it’ll have access to the same semi-autonomous driving features as other Teslas, so it won’t be completely decontented.
Inside, the multimedia experience will be slightly diminished; there is no rear infotainment display, and the A-pillars have lost their speakers. Also missing are coat hooks and a rear parcel shelf, while the center console has been updated to move phone chargers below the central touchscreen, where there is now a gap between the dash and center console. Finally, the seat bolsters glimpsed beneath the seat covers appear to have been finished in a textile rather than synthetic leather, as is the case with Mexico’s Model 3 (the same material is likely for the headliner). Although unconfirmed at this stage, we can expect features like heated and ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel to disappear, too.
“Just A Model Y,” But It Could Help Turn Tesla’s Fortunes Around
Tesla recently released its Q2 earnings report for 2025, and the news was not good, with a sharp decline in profits and no promise of improvements from CEO Elon Musk, who said to expect a “few rough quarters.” Still, although Musk says it’s nothing special – “It’s just a Model Y” – Tesla said volume production of “a more affordable model” would occur in the second half of the year, and that should help boost sales at least somewhat.
This sighting confirms the car will be as cheap as possible, but whether it will cost much less than $40,000 remains to be seen. Without the $7,500 Federal Tax credit that expires at the end of September, the current cheapest Model Y (Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive) starts at $44,990, so Tesla may resort to further incentives in an effort to stave off ever-increasing rival competition amid weak growth in EV demand.
About the author
Sebastian Cenizo
Senior Editor, Autoblog